Volunteer helps museum connect with community

Thursday

Jan 3, 2013 at 5:09 PM

Allie Sorlie began her year as an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer at the University of Alabama's Museum of Natural History in August. As the museum's first AmeriCorps volunteer, Sorlie has added a “whole new layer of what we've been able to do,” said Amanda Espy-Brown, the museum's education and outreach coordinator.

By Kim EatonStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | It was the perfect fit, combining her love of social science and museum work with her education background. Allie Sorlie could not imagine a more perfect placement.The 26-year-old Niceville, Fla., resident began her year as an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer at the University of Alabama's Museum of Natural History in August. As the museum's first AmeriCorps volunteer, Sorlie has added a “whole new layer of what we've been able to do,” said Amanda Espy-Brown, the museum's education and outreach coordinator.“Our mission is to be a resource for the community, but a lot of people don't know that,” she said. That is where AmeriCorps Vista stepped in to help. A national service program designed to fight poverty, Vista volunteers commit to serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or a local government agency. They volunteer in multiple areas, such as working to fight illiteracy, improving health services, creating businesses and strengthening community groups. In return, volunteers receive a small monthly stipend, health care benefits, as well as a small monetary award once the year is complete to be used for furthering education or to pay off student loans.Sorlie learned of the program while in high school, and was intrigued by the idea of giving back to her country. She knew she wanted to do something similar after college — “it was either this or Peace Corps,” she said.Working as an education specialist at the museum, her focus has been on outreach and making community connections, particularly with the schools throughout Tuscaloosa and the Black Belt region. She has met with school administrators and teachers to explain the different programs the museum offers, created teacher guides for the classroom, started a museum club for students interested in pursuing a museum career and focused on building a volunteer base for the museum.“She is finding out how we can serve teachers and students better and how we can match our programs to meet those needs,” Espy-Brown said. “It's a been a great fit. She's really been able to fill in the some of the gaps and do things we've wanted to do, but haven't had the resources or available staff to do them.”With a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Central Florida, Sorlie has been able to relate more to the teachers, the challenges they face and what will help them in the classroom. But it has been a learning experience, as well. She was trained under Florida state standards, so Sorlie has had to learn Alabama's education standards. She also had a crash course in high school education. While most of her time has been spent with administrators and teachers, she has had a little bit of student interaction and that has been one of her more memorable experiences with the program.“I have really loved getting to meet the school administrators and staff, visiting schools in areas I've never been to and learning how to adapt,” she said. “I also love watching the students react during programs. Their faces just light up when the see a fossil for the first time.”When Sorlie's year is complete, there is a possibility she could renew for another year or two, but that is also dependent on available federal money for the program, Espy-Brown said. If it was up to Espy-Brown, she would keep an AmeriCorps volunteer for the rest of the museum's existence.“We're trying to reach out to the community. We've been in this building for more than 100 years, and we're an older museum, so we have to engage visitors in a different way,” she said. “Alabama has a lot of unique natural history, and our main goal is to help people realize that. Allie has not only helped develop resources, she has engaged people once they are here. She has brought a fresh perspective and a creative approach.”For Sorlie, the program has given her a chance to experience new things, help people and provide a boost to her future career.“AmeriCorps is more than what I thought it would be. I had no idea it would be so impactful,” she said. “It's so far-reaching and helps so many different people in so many different ways.”

Reach Kim Eaton at kim.eaton@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.

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